June 2, 2010
Wednesday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time
He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed preacher and apostle and teacher. 2 Timothy 1:9-11
Jesus said to them, "Are you not misled because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, 'I am the God of Abraham, (the) God of Isaac, and (the) God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled." Mark 12:24-27
Piety
[S]tir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:6-7
Study
Saved and called. Called and saved.
Ched Myers and his co-authors in the book Say to This Mountain, point out that the clash with the Sadducees in today’s gospel reflects a clash of cultures. The church leaders want to impose the social orders of humanity in heaven. However, Jesus rejects this interpretation and reveals that in the “world of the resurrection,” the prevailing relations of power will not exist. In its place, the promise of God, first delivered to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will take its place.
Myers says that this implies that the ultimate reality preached by Jesus rejects the status quo and transforms human relations.
How does that transformation take place? Does it take place through acts that we perform? Do not be misled into thinking that is the case. For that answer, we turn to Timothy’s letter and our first reading today.
We are transformed because of the promise of God which is freely given to all of us. With the promise of life, we experience two realities. We are called and we are saved. We are saved and we are called.
Action
The original disciples received their call first before they experienced redemption when Jesus died on the cross. We, however, experience our redemption first and then must respond to the call.
Our actions – freely given – are not the cause of good in the world. Our actions are the result of God’s love freely given.
